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DAVE SCHERBENCO / THE CITIZENS’ VOICE Jonathan Price, 14, a Pittston Area freshman, is a history buff who has qualified for the National History Bee. He said the 20th century is his favorite era of history and he hopes to one day become secretary of state.

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Look out John Kerry — Pittston Area freshman Jonathan Price has his sights set on your job.

“I definitely want to be secretary of state,” Jonathan said. “It’s a really important job.”

Jonathan, 14, aspires to make history in political office, but for now he spends most of his time studying history. In eighth grade, he qualified for the National History Bee after a regional competition in Philadelphia.

He couldn’t make it to the national competition due to financial constraints, but his love of history endures.

“Every little thing in history affects the future, affects the present,” he said. “It’s very important to study history.”

Jonathan called the 20th century his favorite era of history to study, particularly World War II and the innovations and changes to “geopolitics” the war created.

He also studies theology and proudly displays a certificate he earned for completing his first theology class.

“It’s helping me understand where my morals lie,” Jonathan said.

In his first couple of months at Pittston Area High School, Jonathan has already joined the Leo Club and plans to join the Key Club, future lawyers club and history bee team as soon as it starts up for the year.

He has been doing schoolwork from home recently because he deals with asthma complications.

His mom, Ellen Price, said Jonathan has struggled with asthma and hemiplegic migraines — a type of migraine whose symptoms mimic a stroke — for most of his life.

Being too young to vote does not stop Jonathan from getting involved in politics, both on a local and national scale.

“I was at many different rallies for different parties for the last election,” he said. “I’ve been glued to the television screen during this election.”

He said he is glad he is not voting in the 2016 election.

“What makes me mad is a lot of people are saying they’re upset with the choices they have,” he said. “They had the chance to choose. If you don’t vote you don’t really have the opportunity to complain.”

No matter who enters the oval office in January, Jonathan will be watching their decisions to see how they affect the world — and his future tenure as secretary of state.

sscinto@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2048, @sscintoCV

Bob and Ellen Price

What successful parenting strategy can you share with other parents?Bob Price: Get as involved as you can in as many different things and experiences, go to different places, see different things, try to get involved in as many different aspects of life as you can. You get a whole, broader picture of things.

Ellen Price: Introduce reading at the earliest age possible. We started reading to him when he was six months old. It just opens up so many opportunities and ways for them to learn and things they can learn.

At what moment did you realize your child was special?Bob Price: In the beginning he was always very advanced as far as what he did and as he grew up he would get involved in things that were far beyond his years.

Ellen Price: That was early on. In all honesty it would have been during infancy. He would conduct the music in church at three months of age. He just absorbed things. He’s an old soul and it kind of became very apparent when he was an infant. Once he hit school age, by kindergarten we knew he was tested as gifted. In kindergarten he read The Giving Tree to the class so we ... figured it out kind of early on.

What is the greatest challenge you’ve encountered in raising your child?Bob Price: The health issues obviously but also to keep him challenged and keep him more involved and let him advance at his pace and beyond.

Ellen Price: Keeping him stimulated and healthy because he has a lot of health problems.

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